Buying an off-the-shelf gravel bike vs. vintage MTB conversion?
07-20-22, 03:06 PM
#76
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07-20-22, 05:41 PM
#77
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You could google and maybe pull up a handful, but lets not pretend like the inventory for high quality rim brake 26" wheelsets or rims is anything close to that for 700c disc or rim brake wheelsets or rims. Are 1650g 26" rim brake wheelsets even being built and sold?
...in my garage I have 3 26" MTBs at the moment so its not like I reject that tech or anything similar, but I dont see what you say exists.
...in my garage I have 3 26" MTBs at the moment so its not like I reject that tech or anything similar, but I dont see what you say exists.
07-20-22, 05:58 PM
#78
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Yeah, not big like I once was. The bar on that bike is 780mm wide which has been pretty common for trail and enduro bikes the last several years. Mountain bike geometry changed a lot starting around 2017-2018. Part of the change was wide bars with short stems, reduced offset forks, slacker head angles, and longer reach.
The handle bar on the gravel bike is actually a cyclo-cross design. I think it started with Bell Lap bars. The idea is your wrists/forearms don't get banged against the bar when you're on the drops and bouncing around. I borrowed a bike with a bar that was flared but not quite as much as the one in the picture. It was fine for the little time I spent on the bike.
The handle bar on the gravel bike is actually a cyclo-cross design. I think it started with Bell Lap bars. The idea is your wrists/forearms don't get banged against the bar when you're on the drops and bouncing around. I borrowed a bike with a bar that was flared but not quite as much as the one in the picture. It was fine for the little time I spent on the bike.
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07-20-22, 06:23 PM
#79
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The exception is the Seven road bike which I bought used. It was custom made for someone else but it fits pretty well, too. I did ride it before I bought it and it felt awful. I went over it with a tape measure and I figured I could make it work.
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07-20-22, 06:26 PM
#80
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I kind of have to. A few odd proportions on my body make it very difficult for some brands or models to fit me at all. Next time we ride together note how far back I have my saddle on its 25mm setback seatpost.
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07-20-22, 06:31 PM
#81
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I know about being hard to fit, too, especially on mountain bikes. And on road bikes I like an uncut 300mm steerer and not too long top tube. (59)
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07-20-22, 11:24 PM
#82
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07-21-22, 01:22 AM
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I get both sides of the argument and I'm not trying to convince anyone otherwise. My frustration is simply that I find the bottleneck to a good 26" retro-modern build is the wheelset. They don't sell off the shelf 26" rim brake wheels like the Cross Max anymore. And given that you can have a set of 700c carbon clinchers on Novatec hubs for $400 brand new (AliExpress) just makes me lament that I cannot readily find a comparable option for 26". I'm not even saying I need carbon, or even tubeless, just something nice and light that I don't have to piece together and build myself.
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07-21-22, 08:29 AM
#84
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The steel frames are better than the aluminum ones. I had a Trek 7000 something aluminum rigid mtb. I rode it for a few years and it would rattle your teeth loose on rough ground. It was truly awful on washboard, etc. I eventually put a short travel suspension fork on it which helped but I was very happy to get rid of it. It would have been fine on the street, of course. It was about 28 pounds fully rigid with fairly light 2.3 tires.
This is a hypothetical though. I'll likely never get to this project because I can probably afford something better suited to the purpose on the used market for not too much more. It would make for a great city bike though since it'll attract less attention...possibly.
07-21-22, 08:56 AM
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Yeah, would def look for a steel dealio.
This is a hypothetical though. I'll likely never get to this project because I can probably afford something better suited to the purpose on the used market for not too much more. It would make for a great city bike though since it'll attract less attention...possibly.
This is a hypothetical though. I'll likely never get to this project because I can probably afford something better suited to the purpose on the used market for not too much more. It would make for a great city bike though since it'll attract less attention...possibly.
Haanjo 4 | Diamondback Bikes
07-21-22, 11:12 AM
#86
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Otto
Last edited by ofajen; 07-21-22 at 11:20 AM.
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07-21-22, 11:42 AM
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I keep thinking about buying a lower-end gravel bike which I would use for my solo rides on bad roads and a little dirt thrown in and the occasional long dirt road ride with friends. I found that Diamondback has several affordable bikes with the geometry I like. The $1600 version looks pretty good except for the cable disc brakes and they have a 27.5 wheel model, too.
Haanjo 4 | Diamondback Bikes
Haanjo 4 | Diamondback Bikes
sweet lookin steel gravel bike
S2 with 631 reynolds tubing is around $2500
S3 with 520 reynolds tubing is around $1900
both with shimano hydraulic discs
I primarily use my one hybrid (w/headshok) for dirt roads / easy trails - but for worse conditions / rain / whatever I use a vintage MTB with smooth tires
07-21-22, 01:12 PM
#88
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I’ve built 2 from good hybrid framesets and was able to fit 35 & 37mm tires. Both had V-brakes so I needed long pull levers - I used Tektro (affordable). I had several old CX drop bars but had to buy new stems. Microshift bar end shifters came off a donor & I bought new Dura Ace for the second bike. While both bikes turned out fine, I eventually bought a Giant Revolt Carbon. It’s light years better than homebuilts in ride and especially handling. Both homebuilts went into oversteer quickly and rode harsh. If you have access to used/free parts, homebuilts are passable. If you have to buy new parts, your money might be spent better buying a new bike. Building from a mtb frame geometry would not be my choice.
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07-21-22, 02:36 PM
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have you checked out a Jamis Renegade - S2 or S3 ?
sweet lookin steel gravel bike
S2 with 631 reynolds tubing is around $2500
S3 with 520 reynolds tubing is around $1900
both with shimano hydraulic discs
I primarily use my one hybrid (w/headshok) for dirt roads / easy trails - but for worse conditions / rain / whatever I use a vintage MTB with smooth tires
sweet lookin steel gravel bike
S2 with 631 reynolds tubing is around $2500
S3 with 520 reynolds tubing is around $1900
both with shimano hydraulic discs
I primarily use my one hybrid (w/headshok) for dirt roads / easy trails - but for worse conditions / rain / whatever I use a vintage MTB with smooth tires
07-22-22, 06:33 AM
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I get both sides of the argument and I'm not trying to convince anyone otherwise. My frustration is simply that I find the bottleneck to a good 26" retro-modern build is the wheelset. They don't sell off the shelf 26" rim brake wheels like the Cross Max anymore. And given that you can have a set of 700c carbon clinchers on Novatec hubs for $400 brand new (AliExpress) just makes me lament that I cannot readily find a comparable option for 26". I'm not even saying I need carbon, or even tubeless, just something nice and light that I don't have to piece together and build myself.
07-23-22, 12:07 PM
#91
Jet Jockey
I remember when we called them either “cyclocross” bikes or “touring” bikes.
Those were the days…
Those were the days…
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07-28-22, 06:55 AM
#92
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I keep thinking about buying a lower-end gravel bike which I would use for my solo rides on bad roads and a little dirt thrown in and the occasional long dirt road ride with friends. I found that Diamondback has several affordable bikes with the geometry I like. The $1600 version looks pretty good except for the cable disc brakes and they have a 27.5 wheel model, too.
Haanjo 4 | Diamondback Bikes
Haanjo 4 | Diamondback Bikes
And thus a new age 'retrogrouch' is born.
07-28-22, 07:41 AM
#93
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I think vintage mtb frames make great flat bar town bikes… maybe even touring bikes… but once “drop bar” comes up, I’m not messing with an MTB frame unless it was designed for drops. Geo is too different.
07-28-22, 09:22 PM
#94
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You definitely have to know what you're working with, and do some measurements before you start throwing parts at it.
08-02-22, 10:06 PM
#95
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None of them are as purpose built or fit how I ride gravel nearly as well as my current moder steel gravel frame.
